Short answer: An app cannot tell you whether you have plantar fasciitis, and it cannot treat it. What an app can do is help you keep a log, adjust load and stay consistent while you follow the advice of a physiotherapist or doctor.
What running apps can and cannot do
They can: log runs and how your body felt, scale back planned sessions, send reminders, and show how your weekly load has changed. Runna has an easing-off mode, Toga lets you log niggles, and Exakt Health offers physio-style rehab plans for common running injuries, according to its listing.
They cannot: examine you, tell injuries apart, or know what is causing your pain. Pain around the heel and sole of the foot can have several causes. Only a health professional can sort that out.
Load management: the general idea
- Start with the location: under the heel, along the arch or elsewhere.
- Notice if the first steps in the morning are the worst, and track that over a few weeks.
- Ease off the volume that provokes it, and build back gradually.
These are general principles, not a treatment plan. If a physiotherapist has given you a plan, follow that instead.
Apps worth a look
- Exakt Health – step-by-step rehab plans that end with a walk-run return. Paid after a 7-day trial.
- Runna – race plans with a “Not Feeling 100%” mode for easing off.
- Toga – log niggles and the plan adapts. iPhone only.
- Recover Athletics – strength and mobility routines with a body map.
- Garmin Coach – free plans for Garmin owners, with no tools for niggles.
We compared these from store listings and the makers' pages. We have not tried them hands-on.
Common mistakes
- Running through increasing pain because the plan says so.
- Jumping back to full load on the first good day.
- Changing several things at once (shoes, surface, volume), so you cannot tell what mattered.
- Skipping professional advice when it does not settle.
When to see a doctor or physio
See a doctor or physio if you cannot put weight on the foot, have numbness or tingling, swelling or redness, or if heel pain does not settle after a few weeks. If you take warfarin (Marevan), have lymph cancer or active cancer, a blood clot, an acute infection, heart failure, or severe pain with no known cause, go to a doctor before trying self-treatment.
Our own product
PFU Running Coach is our own product, and we earn money if you use it. It gives you a free plan to race day where you say how your body feels after each run. It has no rehab plan for plantar fasciitis. See PFU Running Coach. Related reading on PainFreeU: Heel pain after running? Start with the location.
Frequently asked questions
Can an app diagnose plantar fasciitis?
No. Apps cannot examine you. Pain in this area can have several causes, so get it assessed if it does not settle.
Which app is best for plantar fasciitis?
We do not crown one. Exakt Health lists plans for plantar fasciitis in its description, and the rest are general running apps. See a professional first.
Should I stop running?
That depends on your symptoms. Strong pain, pain that changes your stride, or pain that keeps getting worse is a reason to stop and get advice.
Is PFU Running Coach a rehab app?
No. It gives you a running plan where you log how your body feels, and has no rehab plans for specific injuries.
Sources
Rune Åbø – PT and therapist, has treated 26,000+ people with lymph treatment.
Professional behind PainFreeU. This guide is an editorial overview and gives no diagnosis or treatment.
Last updated: September 30, 2026
Apps in the comparison
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